Happy Birthday Soda
by Fictionsforfans
Summary: It's Soda's birthday and he whole gang comes together to make it extra special for him.


**Disclaimer: I am not the lucky woman who owns The Outsiders. That belongs to S.E. Hinton.**

 **I am so glad to be back writing fanfiction! I took a three year hiatus, but now I am back with plenty of stories to write! I know, I know, Johnny and Dallas should have been dead, but can we please pretend they are still alive? I love them too much to not write about them! Anyways, please enjoy my first story!**

A powerful aroma wafting in from the kitchen made Sodapop wake up with a start. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly and sat up with a yawn. He felt beside him and recognized that Ponyboy wasn't in bed with him. On a regular Saturday, Pony would stay in bed until Darry dragged him out but today wasn't a regular Saturday. It was the day that Soda was turning seventeen.

Padding down the hallway, he recognized the faint voices of Darry and Ponyboy. From what Soda could make out, he figured they were making him his birthday breakfast. He was so glad that they were finally getting along again. That could have been his present in itself.

Soda made his way into the kitchen and caught his brothers off guard. They weren't expecting him to be up so early.

"What are you doing up so early?" Pony questioned, placing Soda's favorite breakfast in front of him. "We made you chocolate chip pancakes and eggs with grape jelly. Just the way you like it."

"The delicious smell woke me up. Thank you so much guys!" Soda exclaimed. He picked up a fork and dug in eagerly.

"Slow down, little buddy. We made plenty more," Darry chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee and eating his own breakfast.

"You know once the guys get here there won't be none left." Soda retorted. As if on cue, four boys barreled through their front door.

"Is there someone named Sodapop Curtis in the house?" Two-Bit yelled. "Because I heard it's his birthday!" He ran over to Soda and tackled him in bear hug.

Steve followed behind Two-Bit and clapped his best friend on the back. "Happy Birthday Soda!"

Dally moseyed in behind the two boys and walked straight over to the stove to get his breakfast. After he fixed himself some eggs and a pancake he looked up from his food and said, "Oh yeah, happy birthday Sodapop." Dallas could pretend all he wanted that he didn't care but the gang knew otherwise.

Johnny was trailing behind Dallas and took a seat next to Ponyboy. "Happy Birthday Soda," he said in his quiet voice, with a genuine smile.

"Thanks for coming guys. You always know how to make my birthday special!" Soda said.

"Nah, we just come here for the free food," joked Two-Bit. He took a swipe at Darry which he easily deflected.

"Hey Dare," Pony piped up. "Can we give Soda his presents now?"

"That's a good idea." Darry went down the hall and quickly returned with two packages. He set them down in front of Soda, along with the three other presents from the gang.

Soda selected the first one from Darry and Ponyboy and eagerly tore back the wrapping paper. He pulled out a brand new leather jacket.

"Guys," Soda looked up his two brothers with the biggest smile on his face. "This is amazing! This would've been enough. You didn't need to get me anything else."

"It's just something small, from me," Ponyboy said.

Soda unwrapped his second gift and pulled out a sketch done of his old horse, Mickey Mouse. It was just like Soda had remembered him to be.

"Ponyboy did you draw this?" Soda asked. "This is beautiful."

"Sorry we couldn't get you the real thing," Pony said. "But this was the closest I could get."

Soda ruffled his younger brother's hair affectionately and picked the next present. From Two-Bit, he got a Mickey Mouse shirt, to match his own, he said. Steve had got him a stack of car magazines, and Johnny and Dallas chipped in to buy him a new football.

"Thank you guys. Really this is too much," Soda said, once all his presents were open.

"You're birthday only comes around once a year." Darry replied, picking up Soda's new football. "How 'bout we put this ball to good use?"

The gang agreed and headed down to the lot.

"I pick the teams!" Soda yelled, and picked Steve, Ponyboy and Johnny to be on his team. That meant that the opposing team consisted of Darry, Dallas and Two-Bit.

The game began and Soda tossed the ball over to Steve, who was quickly tackled by Dallas.

"Do ya always have to be so rough?" Steve asked Dally.

"It's the game. Deal with it or don't play." Dally lit up a cigarette and flicked his ashes at Steve.

The game continued until Soda's team won, which he wasn't sure if they _actually_ won, or if Darry let his team win because it was his birthday. Either way, he was ready for some cake.

Everyone headed back to the Curtis's house, eager for some cake. Darry pulled out the chocolate cake he made last night. He even put extra sugar in the frosting because he knew that was how Soda liked it.

Darry set it down in front of him and borrowed Dally's lighter to light the birthday candles. The gang all chimed in for an off-key rendition of "happy birthday," with Two-Bit overpowering the vocals.

"What did ya wish for birthday boy?" Two-Bit asked.

"If I tell you what I wished for, then it won't come true." He replied. In truth, Soda didn't wish for anything. He had all he needed right here. He had two amazing brothers and four more who weren't blood, but they might as well have been. What more could a guy ask for?


End file.
